Cults
 

Has anyone ever had the experience of a family member or friend getting involved with a cult or cultlike group? Did they get out of it alright?

I know this is a very open ended and not too specific question...let's just say, I'm a little worried about someone close to me.

My sister-in-law was involved in what I term a "Christian cult"--they made all kinds of rules for member behavior. I've seen several of those in the South--they make you break all your CDs and are heavily into "discipling"--i.e., they boss you around and decide who you can date and marry.

Luckily, the couple who got her into it saw the light and got her out. Good thing,as we were tired of hearing about Brother whatsisface.

Here is a useful website that talks about cults, how to help people who get involved, and support groups for families, etc.: www.factnet.org/.

I am kind of anti-right wing religious groups, but if you want to read the other perspective you should also check out www.religioustolerance.org. Their perspective is that unless a religious groups threatens someone's life it is not a cult and that our labeling of groups as cults is religious intolerance. I disagree, but that is a matter of politics.

Good luck, I hope that the person you care about is safe and that the whole situation resolves itself.

Laura

We all know that anything in life can be constructed to fit within the definitition of a cult. I don't think it's appropriate or fair of you to trivialize what 33girl and her family or friends may be going through. We all know that there are cults that convince people to leave mainstream society, commit suicide, or commit violent acts. There are also cults that have killed their members.

Be a little sensitive.

How about the U.S. gov't?
Cult-like to me.
Anything bearucratic (spelling?).

School is a cult because it isn't only about education it's also about socialization. It introduces us to the system and how to be obedient to it, and punishes for disobeying. Why do people think that school is required for pupils under 16?
Do people think the gov't gives a hoot about who gets their education? I think not. However, they care about the socialization. (I think I've been reading way too much :p)

Work is similar, just on a more cut-throat scale.

I have to disagree with the last one. With me being out of school until mid January, besides my family and church, the internet is a good source for human contact.

Just IMHO!

I have a similar story. Several of my sorority sisters got involved in a religious group on campus that had some really crazy ideas. It was an offshoot of the Baptist Student Union, but none of the BSU students recognized it as an official religious group.

Among the usual things like "it's a sin to drink, even if you're 21", the group members had my sisters convinced that it was wrong to date. :eek: Not just that it was wrong to have sex before marriage (which I could understand some religious groups saying) - but that it was wrong to date PERIOD. So, the sisters became convinced that attending mixers with fraternities was wrong and it caused some problems in our chapter. Luckily, the majority of them realized after a few months how asinine some of the group's beliefs were and got out. But, from what I hear, that group is still going on my campus and girls are still getting sucked in. :rolleyes: It's pretty amazing how naive and easily-manipulated some people are.

DZrose--

Was the group at your school called Maranatha? There was a national group like that at one of the colleges here and it also had a chapter at Mississippi State. I promise you, it turned normal students into zombies. The leaders at both places had to give people permission to date and of course, the leader would always give the cutest girls permission to date himself.

I'm always wary of any student religious group that isn't part of a mainline denomination. They just tend to get too far out.

Curiouss, the reason that education to age 16 is required is so that the government doesn't have to support a ton of uneducated people who can't find jobs.

I don't find it surprising at all that there was a cult-like group on a college campus. One of the best places to do cult recruiting is on a college campus b/c people are away from home, their churches, their friends for the first 18 years of their lives.... College students are looking for something to sink their teeth into with all of these changes going on. Someone that will parent them...i.e. the leader/members of a cult

The Hare Krishnas (anyone ever heard of them? bald heads with just a ponytail? wear peachy colored robes? Usually found at airports handing out those stupid paper flowers?)...well, they used to come to college campuses around here. A lot of kids used to join up, but more so in the 1960's and '70's....I don't know much about their beliefs, but they don't hurt anyone and they are listed as a cult on many websites about the subject.

(Just a little FYI on the Krishnas....they are a world-wide religion. And their "mecca" is in West Virginia!!??!! Figure that one out! I've been to their temple...it's called the Palace of Gold. It's absolutely gorgeous! Look it up on the Internet...it's actually pretty cool.)

My parents have use to talk about the Hare Krishnas. They were all over the University of Florida back in the early 70's when my parents attended school there. My parents talked about how the group use to have these luncheons where they would give out free food so that they could get people to join their group. My parents would attend the luncheons for the free food and then leave when someone would start talking to them about their beliefs. :D

Oh boy, did we ever have the Hare Krishnas and the Moonies at colleges in the seventies. The Krishnas used to dance around the Honolulu dress shop I worked in and sing, "Krishna, Krishna!" until the manager kicked them off the property. The Moonies tried to sell flowers to the tourists--now these flowers were plumerias that had just dropped from the trees that the Moonies were standing under.

But the Christian cults are the scariest IMO because you can't tell they're not mainline right off until they've subtly begun to influence you.Also, you can spot a Krishna right off and get your guard up; not so with the Christian cults.

priests/rapists
 

I think the largest and most offensive cult in the world is the Catholic Church.
Did anyone hear about the priest in Boston who raped over 100 boys? The thing that offended me the most is the fact that the church officials were aware of this priests activities and they covered it up for 30 years. I think those officials are scum. Whats up with all these priests raping boys?

Re: priests/rapists
 

The number of priests who have been charged with rape is very small when compared to how many priests there are in the Catholic Church.

Shultzz, your statement about the Catholic Church puts you right up there with the close-minded people who label all fraternity men as rapists because of a few isolated incidents. :rolleyes:

Of course, having sex with an altar boy is wrong but individual priests making it with altar boys has nothing to do with whether a denomination is a cult.:rolleyes: Go do a study on what a cult is. Then go read the definition of the word "generalization".:rolleyes:

Re: priests/rapists
 

Unfortunately, pedophiles can be found in all walks of life and religions. There was a Protestant pastor here who fathered a child by his daughter. He also molested several other children of his congregation for over 20 years. It is a shame that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes were allowed to hide behind those who protected them. I feel confident if these people are not punished in this life; they will surely be dealt with in the next.

BTW - The Catholic Church is not a cult. Those who believe so are grossly misinformed.

Re: Re: Re: priests/rapists
 

I'm Catholic. I've been a member of SEVERAL churches in the past 26 years and never, ever has there been a single case of rape reported in any of them. Quite frankly, I think you shouldn't be talking about something that you obviously know little about.

The news media loves dirt. So, of course, they're going to report and re-report on any case where a priest has allegedly raped someone. It's sensationalism at its best. However, if you choose to paint an entire religion as evil simply because some of its members have taken advantage of their positions over the years, then it's you who has been brainwashed... not the Catholics.

Re: Re: priests/rapists
 

Thank you. That's what I was thinking. Its all in the eye of the beholder, anything can be construed as a cult (religion of ALL kinds, greek life, etc.) DISCLAIMER: I don't believe that all religion or greek life is a cult, just making a point.

I'm not sure of the URL, but a bunch of experts did a study and came up with a "code" of what constitutes a cult. If you did some research, you could probably find some of the tell tale signs.

The definiton of a cult is anything the person defining it does not believe in. I won't say that the Catholic Church is a cult. But the Methodist one definitly is. PM me if you want to know why I think that.

A really good book to read for those who would like to get the facts (and not hearsay) about cults is Bob Larson's New Book of Cults. It is very interesting. Of course, it is from a Christian perspective.
It lists ALL kind of cults and what a cult actually is. As a loving Christian, I want as many facts as possible-this book outlines what they believe in. Because in many cases, these groups try to convert you & I would like to converse with people in an educated way. Also, I've found that they try to cover up what they really believe to hook you (& your money). Here are some tell-tale signs: Absolute loyalty, unquestioning submission, financial involvement(total or part), sensory deprivation and exclusivity. There is more to this list.
And, in case you are wondering, Catholics & Methodists are NOT listed as a cult. Whatever your beliefs , find out all you can about it. Don't just listen to what so and so told you. Read & research. We are blessed to be in America where we can have freedom of religion.

Funny, that could describe some Fraternity and Sorority Chapters. ;)

For the sake of argument, since the word cult has become a loaded term, pregnant with meaning beyond either the context it is being used in or the accepted dictionary definition, it might be better to use cult-like as the describing term.

The Catholic problem is understandable. Take a population and deny it a normal biological pattern (sexual relations, including masturbation)and you are going to get deviant behavior. Deviant meaning different from the accepted norm.

Formal Rush in well developed Greek systems uses some cult like patterns of recruitment, but so do other organizations. Why? Because they work, and the technology is neutral, even though the eventual results or initil intentions can be good or bad.

That is pretty wacky, hootie!

Boston Red Sox's fan are all cult members. Just like the Scientology.

Ok, why hasn't Mr. Shultzz been banned yet?

He hasn't done anything that merrits banning him.

Yes he has. He's "offended" many people on GC. Like, dissing Catholics.

Isn't this a classic textbook case of the pot calling the kettle black? :D

LMAO. LMAO. LMAO.:p :p :D

Just because he's offended people doesn't warrant him being banned. And he didn't dis catholics, he critised a formal organised religon.

Wasn't that the reason why I was banned? Interesting.............

I have no issues with Shultzz, but many do. If I would've said some of the things he has said, the moderators and their enterauge (screw spelling) would not be happy campers. It's just something I am pondering........

BTW dzrose93, I've been feeling a little er....curious lately. Do you think you can satisfy it? *Puts my pinky in my mouth* :D :D :D

You can't possibly think that people don't know you're SH80/SH80er/Curiouss do you?

We know a loT more abOut thaN You thAn you think :)

Nah, then I'd have to go get a rabies shot and a whole round of STD tests. No thanks. :rolleyes:

when were you banned hocnsoc? i thought you were just Sh80's FRIEND. i don't remember that happening... which of your splits are you talking about?

You're right, bad idea. I don't want to have a rep of being a pedophile. :rolleyes:

Where have you been lately?

i've been here. i guess that event just wasn't life shattering enough for me to nocice:rolleyes:

really though...when were you banned and under what name?

ROTFLMAO
 

Do you even know what the word "pedophile" means? Obviously not! :p

Re: ROTFLMAO
 

My bad! :rolleyes:

somethinstupid, banned last April
SH80, banned last June
Diamonds00, banned last July
SH80er, banned last November
curiouss, banned last December

Some people just don't know how to take a hint. :rolleyes:

Hey, what should be my next user name?

Somethinstupider
SH80est
Sheighty
ZTAResPsycho (thank Tibi for that one :rolleyes: )
APOResPsycho
GCResPsycho
MoreCuriouss